


blood, sweat, & beers

by rhymeswithpi



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Minor Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia, background original chocobros, pub trivia, vague OC who never actually appears in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29104524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhymeswithpi/pseuds/rhymeswithpi
Summary: Noct doesn't exactly know what he expected when he agreed to fill in on Gladio and Iggy's pub trivia team, but it definitely wasn'tthis.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	blood, sweat, & beers

**Author's Note:**

> hello friends i'm back with more things that were written during nanowrimo

Noct isn’t sure what he expected when Gladio and Iggy invited him to join them for trivia night at the pub. He definitely wasn’t expecting the pub to be Tony’s. Or for Iggy to actually _eat the nachos_. Maybe he expected Iggy to have all the answers and Gladio to just be there to eat nachos and drink beer. Maybe Prom was going to be the surprise genius on the team, because Prom is _full_ of weird facts about strange things. And he thought he’d at least have _some_ of the answers. Some of the time. Maybe.

He wasn’t expecting Gladio to carry the team. Hell, Gladio _is_ the team. The rest of them are really just there so he qualifies for the tournament. He’s painfully aware he’s just there to fill a seat left vacant by _whoever_ their fourth usually is. All he’s gathered on that front is that she was busy this week and couldn’t make it. And that she usually vanishes halfway through the night because she caught sight of a pretty girl at the bar, and they end up hoping the trivia master (is that even the right _title_? Noct has no fucking clue) just doesn’t notice they’re down a player.

And he _really_ wasn’t expecting Iggy to get bored halfway through, leave the three of them to carry on, and go hustle pool. He has _no idea_ how Iggy got so good at pool, or how he never knew about it until tonight. And Prom is apparently good at it, too, from the few games he’s managed to watch the two of them play together in between trivia rounds.

But here he is, smooshed into a booth seat next to Gladio, somehow in the finals of the trivia tournament. On a team inexplicably named Blood, Sweat, and Beers. And he hasn’t had a single correct answer _all night_. Prom’s at least had a few, but Gladio is _incredible_ at trivia. Iggy’s been off playing pool since they qualified for the second round, only wanders back long enough to have a fourth player when the next round begins.

The final round is set to start soon. Gladio’s wandered off to the bar to order more food or _something_ , and Noct is still trying to wrap his head around the entire night so far. 

“Don’t know what you expected, dude. Gladio _kicks ass_ at pub trivia.”

“You could’ve _warned me_ , Prom. And when did Iggy get so good at pool?”

“I dunno. It’s one of his weirder talents. Asked him once, and he won’t tell me. Says it’s a state secret. But he teaches me, sometimes! Says it’ll give me something to shut people up when they… aren’t being nice. In the future.”

Well, damn if that doesn’t just raise _more_ questions. Questions he’s going to have to ponder alone, because Prom has darted away to watch Iggy again, leaving him alone in the booth with nothing but a disappointing glass of soda to keep him company.

Gladio reappears with a fresh soda and a plate of Tony’s infamous nachos. Apparently, one of the cornerstones of trivia night is eating absolute _garbage_ , and Iggy isn’t allowed to complain about any of it. Not that Iggy _could_ complain, because he hasn’t even been at their table for the last hour.

“Gotta say, Gladio, I wasn’t expecting _you_ to be the secret genius of the team.”

“Really, Noct? You _know_ how much I read. This shouldn’t be a shock. Maybe you don’t even _deserve_ the burger I just ordered for you. Or maybe I should tell them to put the damn lettuce and tomato back on it.”

“I know! I said that wrong. I just… have to rethink everything I thought I knew, apparently. And _what_ is with Iggy and pool? Has he always been good at pool and I just never knew?”

Gladio shrugs and picks at the nachos some more. Noct can see Prom over by Iggy, and _damn_. Iggy just won another game, from the looks of things. Prom hops off his stool and hugs Iggy, and they look… happy. They’ve come a long way from being set up on a date to see Throatpuncher together. And it’s nice to see them actually acting like a _couple_ for a change. Prom basically lives at Iggy’s apartment at this point. It’s ridiculous they still try to act like they aren’t dating around him.

“Iggy’s been hustling pool as long as I’ve known him,” Gladio says. “Kinda fun to watch when new Crownsguard recruits think he’s just some nerd, honestly. Rumour has it he’s beaten Cor _and_ my dad.”

“Wait, Cor plays pool?”

“And trivia,” Gladio says. “Table across the room, under the burger challenge photos. But you didn’t see them. And that’s definitely not your dad wearing a beanie and a hoodie. Or mine, wearing an obviously fake moustache.”

“Wait, who’s _their_ fourth?”

“Helen, usually. Head of the medical branch. But she’s apparently out today. No clue who the blond guy is, but Iggy _really_ hates him.”

Noct has no idea how to process _any_ of this. But it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t care with a burger and fries in front of him, blissfully free of any vegetables, content in the knowledge that Iggy isn’t allowed to complain. Not that Iggy’s anywhere nearby to nag him about it, because Iggy didn’t even bother checking in for the final round. Which is why he’s sitting here alone, watching Gladio go head to head with Clarus in a speed round to claim the title for the night.

Everything about this night has been _utterly bizarre_. On one side of the room, Cor and Iggy are teaming up to destroy people at pool. On the other, Gladio and Clarus are unleashing their inner hidden nerds, and Clarus is full-on wearing a _fake moustache_. And his dad is _definitely_ trying to enjoy a night out in plain clothes. Which might be believable, were he twenty years younger.

Which is why he’s just going to focus on this burger, because at least a burger makes sense. Burgers don’t turn his entire world view upside down. They just taste delicious. Which is all they’re expected to do. What a good burger, living up exactly to his expectations, and not making him question all of his life choices that have led him to this dingy pub.

Gladio loses. Barely. He thinks. He’s not actually sure, because he completely stopped paying attention to the speed round while he ate his fries. And he definitely did _not_ steal any of Gladio’s nachos, because Tony’s nachos are well known for being inedible. Iggy would probably have something to say about that, if Iggy wasn’t off… teaming up with Prom to wipe the floor with Cor and that random guy, apparently. He has so many questions and so few answers. At least deep fried potatoes have never made him question reality as a whole. Maybe he can talk Gladio into ordering more, once he’s done with whatever nerd flexing he’s doing with Clarus.

“Should’ve known I wasn’t going to win,” Gladio says. “I always lose when he wears the moustache. And he only ever wears that when we’re all tied up and I might _finally_ pull ahead.”

“Uh. What?”

“Oh. Right. This is your first time. Dad and I have been doing this for _years_ , Noct. It’s a rare night that we don’t end up in the speed round against each other. But he does always use the coupon to send nachos to the table, so hey, that’s something.”

“Gladio, they aren’t even _good_ nachos. Everyone knows that.”

“Don’t insult Tony’s nachos, Noct. They’re only on the menu because _your_ dad loves them.”

Gladio’s not wrong. His dad is going to _town_ on a plate of nachos as they speak. Clarus gives him a knowing nod, and Noct has never wanted to sink under the table and disappear more in his life. The table would probably just reveal _more_ life-altering secrets, though. Maybe it’s best to just keep sitting here and hoping the world makes sense again in the morning.

  
  



End file.
